Gee, that was necessary 
Aaaah, spring cleaning: much needed, thanks Ben. While I was reading the post I was nodding my head and realized that I myself am filled with assumptions regarding the project which influence my way of reacting, participating and promoting the unMonastery. I’ll start by telling you what I realize I percieve of the project, and how this has influenced my taking the voice (or not) in the making-of. Please bare in mind that this is really my personal opinion, shaped upon my very partial experience of the process, and my inevitably subjective knowledge of the local community and the mt2019 process.
The core ambivalence of the unMon lies, in my eyes, in this semi-public semi-hacker, half voluntary half paid situation. This is not a criticism, it’s a fact. Which comes with consequences, and one of them is that I, for example, do not understand what’s going on really, and I am not sure who to ask and if I can take initiatives. For example, this is what I saw from the outside. The first workshop was completely organized on a voluntary basis, with MT2019, ER and the webteam collaborating and creating momentum. Personally, I think it was a great success. I was not able to come to the second WS, so I cannot express my opinion, but from the outside I didn’t feel much coming from it. Was it the date? Was it the organization? Was it the theme? I do not know, but something didn’t pass (correct me if I’m wrong). What I understood was that a contract was made with Andrea Paoletti, so he was going to be in charge of the community management and all that comes with linking the unMon with the local community. From then on I didn’t really know how to contribute, as - how I see it, and maybe I am wrong - if there is a paid contract with someone, that makes that person in charge and responsible of giving input and directions. Which I never got. So things just faded, and I find that’s a great pity because it is so hard to get the momentum, especially in Matera where people get dissappointed easily and are quite sceptical. The unMon, still today, has a great sympathy capital in the local community: do not disperse it, cultivate it and take good care of it - especially, do not take it for granted.
The call came out: here again, apart from promoting it and dying to know about how many people will apply I don’t know if we can take some action on the side. If so, how? Can we start building on the unMon when the people that are going to be aprt of it have not been selected yet? For example, I have some proposals (like anyone) for some stuff that could be done to facilitate the “interface” dimension of the unMon, but I’m not the one who’s gonna live there, so is it really up to me and others to speak about this? On the other hand, 2-4 months is nothing: it would be really sad if half of the time spent at the unMon is passed discussing on organizational matters. To make it clear: should we already decide, for example, that Sundays are the interface days where the unMon is open to Materani? Or should we already say that once a month there’s a pop up party? And already start communicating that the Economy App will be the way to exchange with unMon (on this I still have to answer the great thread going on with Matt!)?
This said, now that you posted this, I’m back on track: here’s my reactions to the points you shared:
- defined roles: first of all, I don't get how the online participants are going to collaborate with the selected unMonastarians. For example, I would love to committ to Facilitator of Communication and Community: who do I say this too? Where does this fit in the picture and what is needed? Is it only a matter of speaking Italian? Or is it also about being physically present in Matera? If so, I need to know: action can be taken in this sense :-) the point here is that there is stuff which is linked to Matera and the ongoing unMon, but stuff has to be done on the side anyways. I have stumbled upon different funding opportunities, and everytime I thought of the unMon. And then stopped because I wondered how can a distributed group of people apply for funding? And if it's for funding the idea, and the idea passes, would you (in general) go for funding a social enterprise? the unMon as a spin-off of a spin-off?
- task model: yes! Now!
- landing strip: website and downloadable booklet (or SlideShare)? The latter could be helpful for people who want to present the project to potential local administrations. Something like: the 10 core principles, what is needed, what it has to offer...
- informal discussion space: I think this is going to be needed especially when the unMon are going to be selected. It could be a way to start animating the discussion between ER, unMon and hopefully Materani. could this happen on the ER platform or would it have to migrate elsewhere?
- organizational chart: SOOOO needed. I don't think I have a picture of who's collaborating to the unMon. Also, there are different types of participation (different not in quality, but in the impact that they have on the making-of, although ALL are valuable). For example, you speak of the "core team": I don't know who this core team is. It would be great to have a chart (evolving and not fixed) with faces and two sentences to describe the role.
- Buddy system: 10 times yes. Otherwise it's a promised burnout. So I'm back to the question: how many are we exactly?
What are the next steps? How I see it there is a set of activities and people which are going to focus on the Matera unMon. But the unMon is a bigger picture. We can go on elaborating for years, online, the narrative of the unMon, but if it doesn’t go live, develop and replicate it’s all wishfull thinking. At the same time, as you said, one thing is having resources for the site-specific unMons, one thing is having resources for the overall project. I often have access to funding schemes, but they go with issues such as elegibility criteria and all that stuff. who do I pass them on to? And if we find something interesting, is there someone ready to write the bid with me?
I will start by proposing here the last that passed through my hands:
- Open until the 28th of October: here you will read about it (in Italian)
- Open from the 4th of September: this is much more serious in its implications as it requires to open a SRL located in the Southern Italian regions. 4 years support plan, max 200.000€ for new enterprises. Eligible costs: salaries and material. As I told you, I had this in mind for the Sicignano delgi alburni proposal.
So this is a first wave of inputs. Sorry if it’s more questions than proposals, but I guess that before going on with proposals I need to get a better picture. As I said, I realized while reading you that the picture I has was more unclear than I thought, and actually I was (and probably still am) filled with assumptions.
Maybe a good starting point to get back on track it to roganize the LOTE#3 session on the unMon? My mind immediately goes to how to involve Materani again in the design process. At this point with a more defined picture to get their reactions and proposals. What do you think?
p.s. Are Friday community calls also for the unMon?